Francisco Alvarez is reaching for the stars with his 2022 goal

Number one New York Mets prospect Francisco Alvarez isn’t afraid to set major goals for himself. In 2022, the star catching prospect has his eye directed at a spot on the major league roster.

With the MLB lockout in place and spring training facilities empty of players from the 40-man roster, our attention turns to the top prospects in each club’s farm system. They will be the early stars of Florida and Arizona. In Port St. Lucie, no one is more hyped than Alvarez.

We can’t blame Mets prospect Francisco Alvarez for setting such high goals for the season

Only 20-years-old and with no experience in Double-A yet, seeing Alvarez jump up to the big leagues this year doesn’t sound too realistic. The Mets have James McCann signed for three more years. And even if he does struggle, Alvarez will need to give the club no other options but to promote him in order to meet his goal.

According to MLB.com, Alvarez’s big league ETA is 2023. This sounds a lot more realistic for an athlete not even old enough to buy a beer after a game.

The fact that he’s a catcher also hurts him some. McCann and backup Tomas Nido are both out of options. Only an injury, trade, or DFA could clear a roster spot for Alvarez to actually get to the big leagues. Even then, the Mets would be turning on his MLB clock earlier than expected by promoting him this year.

Working in Alvarez’s favor is the incoming DH to the National League. It’s another way for him to get major league at-bats when he does reach the show. When he is ready, it wouldn’t be outrageous to see him get some regular opportunities in this role. A lot will depend on how the rest of the roster looks at the time.

A massive leap from Double-A to the major leagues is not out of the question for Alvarez—just very unlikely no matter how high he sets his own standards. The Mets would need to have zero production out of their starting catching spot and Alvarez would need to have ruined the careers of a few minor leaguers along the way.

Despite the odds, it’s good to see Alvarez already raising the hype on himself further. Confidence is a good thing for someone in his position to have. Tearing apart Double-A and Triple-A pitchers this year will only help him further.